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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24292894">Status Ailments</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/janazza/pseuds/janazza'>janazza</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>FFVII Shenanigans [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Avalanche, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Status Effects</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:16:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,450</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24292894</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/janazza/pseuds/janazza</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Compilation of the party being exposed to both positive but mostly negative status ailments and the team's reaction to deal with it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>FFVII Shenanigans [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1753726</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>153</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Barret: A Final Frogasy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Because I love fics that explore how losing control of oneself may impact someone even after all is said done, I guess I had to make one myself.</p>
<p>This fic will cover some spoilers pertaining to character's backgrounds (Remake only unless said otherwise).</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“How?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Magic?” Aerith supplied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, can you reverse it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How am I supposed to reverse it when I don’t even know what it is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We can’t just leave him like this!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t say that! I’ll have to look it up. See if there’s an antidote or a reverse spell.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So until then?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud interrupted the two. “Until then, we take him back to the bar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good idea.”</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>It’s a boring day to be Shinra.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I spy something brown.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dirt.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I spy something grey.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My uniform?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Got it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is stupid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What else you wanna do? Patrol is for another four hours. Get used to it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t sign up with Shinra for this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did anyone? It’s your turn.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The guard sighed, looking around until something caught his eye. “I spy something red.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My goggles?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could hear the smile in their voice. “Nah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shinra logo?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not that blind are you? It’s pretty bright, can’t miss it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The guard looked around to the bustling people of the slum, dressed raggedy and hair unwashed. The most entertainment in these parts were the children carrying cardboard swords. But once he caught a glimpse, he couldn’t look away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flash of a blood red jacket with buttons that gleamed in the light. And the girl was even more eye catching.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You got that right.” She was gorgeous, that was for sure, with a perfect hourglass waistline if not for the taught muscle of her exposed stomach. Red shoes even more vibrant than the jacket she carried brought her just past them where they kept watch, her eyes never meeting them. Beautiful.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’d make a pretty penny in Wall Market,” one of the guards snickered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then she stopped, her back to them, and hunching forward slightly and holding tightly to her jacket and the two guards looked to each with matching grins at whatever she could possibly want to say to them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Except she lurched again awkwardly until dropping the red jacket and something brown and fat leapt towards them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They hadn’t even raised their weapons before the thing came to a halt just in front of their faces.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It croaked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And it smelt like a swamp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And it was ugly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry.” The gloved hands that had caught the ugly thing finally retracted it from their faces revealing blonde hair and a miffed face. “He has no manners.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, I’m so sorry about that!” The girl from before was wrapping it in the red jacket again as she apologized profusely. “I don’t know what got into him. He’s usually so well behaved.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The,” a guard started before suddenly questioning what he was seeing. “The frog?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yah, he’s my pet. Keeps all the flies away, and stuff.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When he’s not making a fool of himself,” added the blonde. As if it heard him, the frog suddenly whipped it’s tongue and stuck it to the side of the man’s face, who simply, arms crossed and emanating cold fury, gave it an unimpressed glare. “Best pet I’ve ever had.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, we must get going! Dry air isn’t good for their skin, you know!” They watched as the most beautiful girl they’d ever seen carried the ugliest creature they’d ever had to witness like a sack of potatoes, the blonde with her carefully using the jacket to cover the thing’s head as they made their way to Sector 7. It was only then they noticed the huge sword the man with her carried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There came a pregnant pause before one guard turned to the other. “Did that just happen?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you said patrols were boring.” </span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>It’s a quiet yet strange affair as the two quickly made their way through Sector 7 making eye contact with no one and hoping Marle wouldn’t stop them for a chat, nor the other Shinra guards or Avalanche sympathizers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Remember, to the bar, to the back room, then we wait for Aerith.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Heard you the first time,” Cloud whined.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, I know. I’m just nervous. If someone finds out—“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Tifa!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nearly jumped out of her skin and nearly dropped the bundle in her hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that a new jacket? I’ve never seen you wear it before.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, yah, Johnny,” she said as she adjusted her hold of it between her arms. “It’s a little too warm so I had to take it off.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a good color. It goes nice with your eyes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud lightly tugged her arm toward the bar, careful not to dislodge her hold of the jacket and what hid underneath as she said, “Thanks! Ah, yah thank you, but we gotta go. I’ll see you around?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yah, totally! . . . Wait, really—“ he started before the two sped walked away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was close.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Almost there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The second they got the door opened, Cloud slammed it shut and turned the lock while Tifa headed towards the back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>However, they hadn’t expected anyone to be in today. Jessie and Wedge sat at a table while Biggs missed the dart board entirely upon hearing their arrival. “What the—“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, you guys are back early!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are Barret and Aerith?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tifa smiled awkwardly and laughed. “Oh, they’re around here somewhere.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The three shared a look before Wedge asked, “Meaning?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tifa! Where’s daddy!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the sound of the little girl’s voice, she hunched forward then stopped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wedge eyed them curiously. “What was that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jessie rushed forward to feel her forehead. “Are you sick?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uhh, nothing!” Cloud was reaching over her and grabbing the red jacket from her hands. But as he did so, </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> from beneath the jacket lunged forward at the blond. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“--What is that?!”’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hold your fire!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Knock it off.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dark lump that lunged at Cloud sat in the merc’s hands, held out like it disgusted him, and upon turning the thing around the group only grew more perplexed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A frog?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, that’s obviously a toad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, the legs are too long.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And slimy,” commented Cloud even as he held it with his gloved hands. The thing suddenly shifted in his hands and struck its tongue across the merc’s face who shivered and dropped it. “Fuck you too, Barret.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, Barret?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The three were shouting. “That’s Barret!?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hush!” Tifa silenced and rushed to check the windows. “We don’t know how long it’ll last. Aerith’s looking for a spell or antidote as we speak.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Biggs began hyperventilating. “The boss is a frog.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Toad,” Wedged tried to correct.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a frog, man!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Frog man, indeed,” snickered Jessie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please shut up.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Marlene!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s daddy?” The little girl had moved forward warily, still in her pajamas and unsure of the creature that adjusted itself to look at her directly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ah, man, how to explain this. Cloud wasn’t good at this stuff but she was staring at him looking ready to cry but the three gunheads stared at him expectantly as well. “Yah. He’s fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Biggs sputtered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Or will be. We’re just. . . “ What could he possibly say not to make her panic?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re just looking for a way to lift the curse!” Tifa supplied before kneeling in front of the little girl. “Like in your story book.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Curse? Then that means--” Marlene started then quickly twisted around to head back to her room much to frog Barret’s dismay. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, it’ll be alright, Barret,” Tifa tried to soothe. “It’s probably a little strange for her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Where Biggs sat at the bar, he said, “I’ve never taken a hallucinogen in my life, but Tifa’s comforting a frog.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Such intelligence. They should have made you president.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not funny.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud groaned but picked up the frog, ensuring it never touched him beyond the length of the gloves. “Aerith shouldn’t be too long. Besides, if you get hungry, we’ll find a nice trash bin for yah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cloud!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just being realistic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, Marlene!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The little girl booked it back into the lobby of the bar carrying a book before plopping onto the floor and opening it. Tifa knelt down, instantly recognizing the illustrations and the words she would read to Marlene when Barret wasn’t home to do himself. “Daddy’s got a curse like the prince!” Find the page she wanted, she pointed to the picture of a girl holding a tiny frog in her hands as she kissed it. Flipping to the next page revealed the prince’s true form. “See! He just needs a kiss!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jessie was smiling behind her hand. “A maiden’s kiss, maybe?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll do it!” said Marlene. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud rolled his eyes, knowing how this was gonna go, but nonetheless knelt down and held out her father like an offering. “Knock yourself out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The little girl had moved forward at the same time a knock came at the door in a sequence only Avalanche used. He could hear Wedge get up to open it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smiled faintly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marlene leant down carefully and kissed the top of the ugly frog’s head just as a puff of smoke and light overtook the room. Marlene would have screamed if not for the arms that quickly wrapped around her and lifted her up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cloud backed away as Barret held his daughter in her arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You did it, Marlene! You saved me!” He lifted her above his head cheerily. “My little princess!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl was giggling and the team couldn’t help but laugh too as Aerith came up next to Cloud putting the materia in his pocket since she didn't have her jacket. It was surely smothered in frog slime. “She’s the real deal, isn’t she?” Aerith asked before nudging his shoulder and nodding her head towards Jessie and he held back his own laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Behind her back, held carefully out of Barret’s view was a polaroid camera and a single picture that would certainly be hung up behind the bar later that week. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Aerith: Fear</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was a simple slip of the foot, putting too much weight onto a giving foothold, and the next thing she knew, Cloud’s back wasn’t in sight and Tifa yells echoed. But that soon was muffled by the dirt and slide of old metal bits as she tumbled down the hill at an angle that forced her to roll. She nearly choked when something slammed into her stomach as she rolled off of it further down the hill. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then it stopped. In spite her racing her heart, she lifted her head at Barret’s shouts from above her, giving him a lazy thumbs up when he asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gives us a minute. We’ll come to you.” That was Tifa, ever the worrier. She was fine if not dusty. There were definitely stains in her dress that would take a couple of washes to get out, but she’d rate her fall a two out of five stars: not the worst but wouldn’t recommend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took a moment to get to her feet, but she called up, “I’m fine, guys!” She grinned and set her hands on her hips in a show of defiance. “You all worry too much.” Really, she was more embarrassed they saw that than anything else. Just when she thought she’d convinced Barret she was Avalanche material, she did </span>
  <em>
    <span>that.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay put, we’re coming.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighed but accepted it anyway. Wherever they were in Sector 6 was like a pit or canyon of sorts. The wreckage of the plate’s fall meant unofficial pathways were sort of cleared or made as one needed. “I’m serious, guys. I’m all good!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were chuckling at her until something caught the gunner’s eye and suddenly Barret was pointing his gun at her. “Like hell you are, duck!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She did just as the bullets flew, and she heard the shrill cry behind her. She was on her feet in an instant as a basilisk stood just at her height and its eyes locked on to her.  It lunged, only for its teeth to snap around her raised staff, and Aerith pivoted and used the momentum to knock it into the neighboring debris. It released, and with a well aimed Fira, it screamed inhumanly as its scales peeled back, the body coiling into a ball.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Watch out!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bullets rained again as three more arrived, and this time she ran further into the canyon of metal and debris as they dodged the onslaught fire from Barret except for one. They snapped at her feet like dogs and she ran all the quicker, hopping over debris in shoes too loose for this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that proved true when she lost her footing on the uneven ground, quickly twisting and casting Fira once more that the monsters seemed ready for, each coming up the sides and she hoped the barrier she cast would hold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It did, their fangs unable to penetrate the bubble she set around her so she could stand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She and the beast stood on a metal plate. The two circled her like wolves ready to pounce, but she could do this. Letting the barrier drop just as they surged forward, she slammed her staff to the metal plate with a Thundara ready. She closed her eyes as if it blocked out their disfigured cries of pain and the scent of cooked flesh. But it was done. She opened her eyes to the fried basilisk, their bodies still. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This isn’t so bad. Now she just had to find a way out then the others. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shouldn’t have let her guard down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because from the direction she had ran from came a lone, blood smelling basilisk,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As quick as the basilisk sunk its fangs into her forearm, she obliterated it with a call of lightning. The thing writhed and shriveled and smelt of smoke and roadkill. It wasn’t deep, she just had to find the others, which was easier said than done considering. The place was a maze of concrete and metal. Nothing really grew out here either. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But it’s fine because she may not have liked this part of the Sector but she did have to find different paths from time to time. Tseng always said pick a direction and stick to it, and she did with her staff ready in hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was getting late, or maybe it was just the casting shadows of the plate or the towering debris. Her feet dragged her over misplaced crates then rusted old cars with old Shinra logos.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shinra. She didn’t like Shinra, but she did sometimes like Tseng and he’s with Shinra. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she didn’t like how bright the sun shown through the debris sometimes, and the wind that cast up her dress sometimes that felt like someone breathed down her neck. Reno didn’t understand personal space. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She should try climbing up. That should help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aerith didn’t like climbing. It was hard to without stepping on her own dress and her shoes were too bulky. But she didn’t like the sound of shifting metal behind her. She picked up the pace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t like the sheen of sweat that made her hands slippery or the blaring sun. She couldn’t wait to be inside again, somewhere with air conditioning and water with </span>
  <em>
    <span>ice.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Becoming so distracted with her thoughts, she barely noticed the breath at her neck as something grabbing the edge of her dress.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t think. She screamed, didn’t care the dress tore, didn’t care she almost tripped, just needed to run run run run </span>
  <em>
    <span>run!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She swore she heard the slithering of scales against metal. They were coming for her and she couldn’t face them again. She just wanted to go home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Run.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t want to go back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Run.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knew one day she would, but she hoped someone would take her away before they did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Run.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not to the labs again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Run.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Please, no more tests. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were gaining on her, and she was crying. She didn’t want this. She wanted to go home. She wanted mom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She swiped at cobwebs and ducked under a fallen pole and begged they let her go. Leave her alone. When her staff caught between pipes, Aerith didn’t think twice and left it for the monsters. Her heart raced, and she could barely hear them calling for her, telling her to stop and she couldn’t. She wouldn’t go back, never. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she came to a halt when the sun blinded her and she came to a clearing. Nowhere to hide. Nowhere to go. Just her and the blaring sun and the open sky that threatened to swallow her whole. She was sobbing, and she didn’t want to die. She was going to die. She couldn’t breathe. Please, it can’t end like this!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hands grabbed her and she fought back, pounding on a chest until the being managed to wrap their arms around her, forcing her to their chest and her arms at her sides. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Let go let go let go—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her ribcage wasn’t large enough for her heaping breaths and she was going to die.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She kicked wildly but nothing connected and the chest only breathed smoothly, mocking her as it held her still for the open sky to swallow her. Make it stop, she wanted it to </span>
  <em>
    <span>stop</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wanted the metal sky and short ceilings back. She wanted to be held by her mother so she could cast the demons away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She leant into the body that held her, begging for them not to let go. It felt like her mom, humming something softly even as she rubbed snot into their sweater and choked on sobs that wracked her whole body. She hadn’t even realized they were sitting, the being’s legs crossed and she surrounded by them and warmth and murmured promises that she would be okay because nothing felt okay. They rocked side to side and it felt so much like her mom that she cried all the more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t let go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud won’t let her go. Cloud won’t let anyone hurt her, take her away, hide her or expose her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In time, she registered the small hand on her arm just where the basilisk had bit her and the broad hand on her back rubbing slow circles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aerith, can you hear me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded her head into Cloud’s chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have water and a granola bar with your name on it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In any other situation she would have laughed, but she didn’t want to start crying again so she didn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took her a moment to pry her face away from Cloud to look at Tifa who held an uncapped canteen out to her and a gentle smile. Tifa wouldn’t hurt her.  Her hands shook as she took it and Aerith spilt more than she drank. Tifa broke off a piece of granola bar before trading it for the canteen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t trust herself, but eventually she asked with her head still nestled against Cloud’s heart and but of granola in her mouth, “What happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud, who had only now loosened his grip on her, brought his hand to her matted hair. “The basilisks emit poison.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yah,” agreed Barret before adding, “When we first started sprucing up the bar we had a whole nest underneath. Nasty buggers. Got Wedge and Biggs at the same time. Poor things were so scared that Wedge hid and wouldn’t come out while Biggs ran all the way to the Leaf House. Gave the kids a fright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Poison. Some sort of fear inducing agent then. Not Shinra. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Barret let out a deep breath but kept his ministrations soft between her shoulder blades. “We couldn’t find you until you screamed. Then we found a bit of your dress stuck on a broken pipe--” the hand in her hair tightened ever so slightly “--we thought the worst.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you're safe now,” Tifa assured, making sure Aerith looked her in the eye as she said it. “You’re fine and we’re heading home. Okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Home. Safe. Together. Not alone. “Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think you can walk?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t think she could do much of anything, let alone walk. Talking felt like screaming, blinking like running, breathing like holding a weight across her chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Apparently Cloud knew it too, as he carefully got to his feet, avoiding jostling her too much, and making his way out of the small canyon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surrounded by warmth and protection by people who keep their promises— she knew they did. She wouldn’t be here if they didn’t— who would never put a needle in her arm or demand answers she didn’t have, she allowed her head to settle against Cloud and focus on the thumb that swirled circles on her arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She only lasted mere minutes.  </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Poor thing :( </p><p>Up next should be either Cloud:Sleep or Tifa:Beserk</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Tifa:Beserk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Cloud can count on two fingers the number of times he’d seen Tifa legitimately show her anger and he didn't think that Nibelheim boy would have ever recovered. She wiped the floor with him and the twerps quickly learned she didn’t like being told what to do. The second came in his time in Midgar as he nursed a drink at the bar with boisterous patrons mingling about. Someone’s birthday or bachelor party, he didn’t care. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It just didn’t take long for someone’s drunken feelings to be hurt and get aggressive with one of the bridesmaids (bachelorette party then?).  It wasn’t like it wasn’t expected. The slums brought in all kinds of crude and lowly scum among those trying to make a living. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud sighed and set his sword on his back just as the man had pulled his hand back to slap the poor thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only for a tight iron grip to hold him in place before suplexing him over their head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tifa only dusted off her gloves before going back behind the bar and away from the groaning man. “Try that again, Harry, and you leave here unable to walk.” It didn’t take a genius to realize somewhere in the middle of her swinging his entire weight across the bar floor that his arm was definitely no longer in its socket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What confused Cloud the most was the partygoers and patrons alike barely batting an eye as if this were a daily occurance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huh.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So maybe she got a bit tougher after reaching Midgar. You’d have to be to survive in a place like this and working for an eco-terrorist with very little self-preservation. But she was in control, each move planned and her demeanor neutral. He saw it when they cleared out the junkyard, when they took on task and missions that put them right in the middle Shinra.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just didn’t think she’d look so scary. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He understood why some creatures used bizarre poisons to their advantage. A confused predator is a sitting duck and left easy escape routes. Anything that could throw off a predator on their game could be a life saver, so why did the flowers they transport release pollen like this?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aerith needed what she called “exotics” for peculiar potions and spells, apparently great for the older folks of the Sectors, and Tifa and himself instantly agreed to help steal the shipment from Shinra. Tifa carried her crate with a pep in her step and offering to take Aerith’s too as they take a hidden passage to avoid Shinra. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girls babbled on, mentioning gossip and dinner plans and the occasional idea of taking a hit at Shinra. He tuned them out as he carried his load before nearly stepping to a smoldering fire. “Heads up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girls took notice of the few dying embers left. Aerith extended her staff in front of Tifa and moving ahead. “They couldn’t have gone far.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guys, I don’t think we should stop.” Tifa hefted the crates she carried a little higher in her hands. “If they were here—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And here indeed we are!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud pivoted towards Tifa just as she herself used the crate to take the blow of the scimitar the pudgy gang member swung at her. She stepped back with the crates still in hand when a dozen more crawled out of their hiding spots all around them, weapons drawn and obvious grins behind their handkerchiefs.At the front, one man stepped forward with a well-polished dagger he wiped on his glove like it were dirty. “We’ll take what you have there, SOLDIER boy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He too drew his sword and took up the front. “Not for sale.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wasn’t asking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aerith tapped him on the shoulder rapidly. “Hey, Cloud? You might wanna just—“ she cut herself off as she barreled into him, knocking the two over as one of the crates they’d brought through there smacked directly into the leader’s chest sending him flying pack with a satisfying </span>
  <em>
    <span>oof.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “We should get out of her way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She ain’t seeing much but red, I think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloud looked to his childhood friend, who breathed heavily and her arm still extended from her throw, but nonetheless when one of the men in the crowd rushed forward, he took a swift kick to the head and didn’t get up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two more burst forward, ignoring that they had to pass Cloud and Aerith, but Tifa only grit her teeth as she met him, before shooting up in a uppercut that’s break any man’s, any SOLDIER’s, jaw before finishing in a divekick, her heel meeting the back of his head. His friend had no chance, the knife he pitched forward quickly twisted out of his hand and the arm bent until it popped with the man squealing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes turned to the leader and her two friends still barely getting up from where they fell, and Cloud would swear her eyes had taken on a scarlet hue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two watched on as she pummeled the gang leader to the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should we help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two ducked the projectile body that slammed into the dispersing gang, the members shouting “demon!” as others surged forward and completely ignored the two that watched idley. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah. But you know what would make this better?” A sadistic grin smothered Aerith’s face before she raised her staff and whispered, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>haste.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The spell could barely even catch up to Tifa, and once it did, their friend was nothing more than a blur. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think she’s got this. Help me carry the crates? Oh, don’t touch that one. The spores can leave you a little angry.” She pointed to the one that’s been thrown at the leader, the wood splintered from the force and the scimitar that had sliced into it. Even from their distance, Cloud could see the puff of spores like pollen surrounding it, until a body bounced right into it and ricocheted into the far wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched on and Aerith picked up his open jaw for him. He feared no man, but he did fear two women. One was currently kicking ass and the other had a sick sense of humor. “Sure.” </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was originally going to be angsty, but this was much quicker to write. Somewhere down the line, I think I'll write her alternative. </p><p>Up next is either Cloud:Sleep or Barret:Happy</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A short and simple introduction for what to expect. Upcoming chapters will be fuller, but for now here's a taste.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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